SERAP mischievous in its attack against Senator Akpabio – Group

A group, De-Bongos Media Project, has responded to a recent media attack against Senator Godswill Akpabio by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).
Senator Akpabio, a former governor of Akwa Ibom State, is among those nominated for ministerial appointment by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Since his nomination, there have been numerous media attacks against Senator Akpabio obviously by politicians and persons who are scared of the Senator’s rising profile.
“An in-depth but independent investigation into the false allegations of SERAP reveals that they are not only economical with the truth but have become an appendage and willing tool in the hands of vendetta-seeking, dubious and desperate politicians,” the group says.
“We are aware that a certain public servant currently serving in President Buhari’s government, having failed in his lobbying for a ministerial appointment is disgruntled and has resorted to inundating media houses and venal civil society groups with spurious claims of graft against Senator Godswill Akpabio.”
Read the full statement by De-Bongos Media Project below:
5th August, 2019
SERAP’S MISCHIEVOUS MISREPRESENTATIONS AGAINST SENATOR GODSWILL AKPABIO
Our attention has been drawn to the mischievous and misguided vituperations of a politically- motivated call by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) for the arrest and investigation of Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio. It should be noted that these incessant calls and smear campaigns against Akpabio started shortly before his nomination by President Muhammadu Buhari as a Minister-designate and was amplified immediately thereafter. An indepth but independent investigation into the false allegations of SERAP reveals that they are not only economical with the truth, but have become an appendage and willing tool in the hands of vendetta-seeking, dubious and desperate politicians. We are aware that a certain public servant currently serving in President Buhari’s government, having failed in his lobbying for ministerial appointment is disgruntled and has resorted to inundating media houses and venal civil society groups with spurious claims of graft against Senator Godswill Akpabio, a minister-designate from Akwa Ibom State.
This veiled, sub-terranean antics of this known politician includes leading campaigns of vicious calumny replete with malicious intent to traduce the character of a man who has been vindicated by his proven records of inimitable and outstanding performance.
For the avoidance of doubt, it is vital to mention here that Senator Godswill Akpabio was neither the contractor nor was he involved in the contract execution process. Secondly, the supplies of hospital equipments, provision of solar- powered boreholes, VIP toilets, construction of markets across the 10 local government areas of Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial district, donation of skills acquisition/recreational centers are all eloquent expressions of Senator Akpabio’s stellar performance just in four years. To further demonstrate his magnanimity and undying love for his people beyond boundaries, Akpabio donated an ambulance with medical components comprising 150 (One hundred and fifty) mattresses and pillows to the Cottage hospital in Ibiono -Ibom local goverment area where Senator Ita Enang hails from. Others include staff executive chairs, air-conditioners etc.

It should be noted also that the above mentioned hospital equipment and facilities donated to Ibiono- Ibom local goverment area is situated in Uyo senatorial district where Senator Godswill Akpabio neither hails from nor represent. In furtherance of his uncommon gesture of positively touching and affecting the lives of his people in the most uncommon ways, he extended life touching and transformational facilities and amenities to the third Senatorial District (Eket Senatorial District) where he built, renovated and furnished dilapidated classroom blocks with state of the art borehole and water storage facilities in Community Secondary School, Udung-Uko Local Government Area. In Governor Udom Emmanuel’s Onna Local Government Area, still in Eket Senatorial District where Senator Akpabio neither hails from nor represents, Awa Comprehensive Health Centre received the following:

150 Pieces of Standard Hospital Mattresses, 300 Pieces of Patient Pillows, 300 Pieces of Bedsheets and Blankets, 150No Hospital Beds, Supply of Drugs for Primary Health Centre, 30No Standard Drip Stands, 20No Ward Screen, 20No Drugs Trolleys, 1No Ambulance with 102Hp Petrol engine, 6No Split Unit Air Conditioners, 1No Wheel Chair, 1No Hematology Analyzers (Abacus 380), 1No Chemistry (STAT TAX330), 1No Dectrolyte Analyzers (IONYTL), 1No Elisa Systems(STAT FAX 4200, MICRO PLATE READER), 1No Microbiology (LISA SCAM EM ERBA),1No Blood Bank (COOL STORAGE INSTRUMENTS), 1No Urinanalysis Machine (Urinanalysis URD – DIPCHECK 240E), 1No Pharmacy Refrigerator(IPR225 HELMER PHARMACY REFRIGERATOR), 1No Biosafety Cabinet (LAMIL PLUS 7), 2No Microscope (BINOCULAR MICROSCOPE THEIA – 1), Purchase and Supply of Consumables at Cottage Hospital, Awa Iman, Onna Local Government Area of Eket Senatorial District.

110 Pieces of Standard Hospital Mattresses, 220 Pieces of Patient Pillows, 110 Pieces of Bedsheets and Blankets, 110 Hospital Beds, Supply of Drugs for Primary Health Centre, 30 No Standard Drip Stands, 20 No Ward Screen, 20 No Drugs Trolleys, 1 No Ambulance with 102Hp Petrol engine, 6No Split Unit Air Conditioners, 1No Wheel Chair, 1No Hematology Analyzers (Abacus 380), 1No Chemistry (STAT TAX330), 1No Dectrolyte Analyzers (IONYTL), 1No Elisa Systems(STAT FAX 4200, MICRO PLATE READER), 1No Microbiology (LISA SCAM EM ERBA),1No Blood Bank (COOL STORAGE INSTRUMENTS), 1No Urinanalysis Machine (Urinanalysis URD – DIPCHECK 240E), 1No Pharmacy Refrigerator (IPR225 HELMER PHARMACY REFRIGERATOR), 1No Biosafety Cabinet (LAMIL PLUS 7), 2No Microscope (BINOCULAR MICROSCOPE THEIA – 1), Purchase and Supply of Consumables at Community Hospital, Ikot Uba, Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area, Uyo Senatorial District, Akwa Ibom State.

Shortly after Senator Akpabio’s uncommon defection of August 8th 2018, he empowered his constituents with two hundred and fifty thousand naira each, and about four hundred and fifty farmers benefited from this gesture in collaboration with Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria, (SMEDAN).
It is noteworthy to also state without any fear of contradiction that one thousand, two hundred men and women (1200) received one hundred thousand naira cash gift each (#100,000) for entrepreneurship development of various vocations geared towards poverty alleviation and development of the local economy on June 8, 2019 in a closing ceremony of his exit from the 8th Senate.
In early January 2019, eleven thousand six hundred (11,600) beneficiaries obtained ten thousand naira (#10,000) each alongside startup packs in collaboration with the National Directorate of Employment, (NDE) and Future Assured Programme, a pet project of the Wife of Mr. President, again not limited to the Senatorial District of Senator Akpabio.
Not yet done with his people, Senator Akpabio donated Scholarship awards to two hundred and seventy-four indigent students (274) at the independence hall Abak with each going home with one hundred thousand naira (#100,000), another milestone in the promotion of academic excellence
Available documentary evidence in the public domain, sequel to our painstaking investigations revealed that the Border Communities Development Agency saddled with the onerous task and responsibility of ensuring the execution of sustainable socio-economic and infrastructural development of border communities in Nigeria which handled some of Senator Akpabio’s constituency projects has in a letter dated July 16th 2019 with reference number BCDA/PDI/CONST/17/139 through its director in charge of projects development and implementation, Mallam Farouk Maitarure, clarified unequivocally that the contractor had performed the supply of the said hospital equipment in full as contained in the bill of quantities though payment by the Agency is yet to be fully liquidated.
From the foregoing, it is crystal clear that Senator Akpabio has not only accomplished his mandate to justify the confidence reposed in him by his people but expanded the frontiers of benevolence for the positive transformation of Akwa Ibom State.
Against this background, we frown at SERAP’s orchestrated cheap blackmail and brazen display of infantile mischief.
We caution SERAP to refrain from allowing itself to be used as a willing tool in the hands of attention-seeking, desperate politicians. Senator Akpabio, instead of vilification, deserves due commendation for his meaningful contributions to the growth and development of his people to encourage people-centred programmes and policies of Governement. His gestures and magnanimity are indeed worthy of emulation.
We challenge SERAP therefore, to prove its claim without which we will be compelled to seek lawful redress against their spurious, irrational and irritating tissue of blatant lies.
We urge SERAP to ponder on the illustrative and the illuminating words of the former Prime Minister of Britain who averred that ‘truth is incontrovertible, malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end there it is’ and I add, unshaken as the northern star..
Finally, it needs not be over-emphasized that beyond all doubt, Senator Godswill Akpabio remains an uncommon performer with undying love for Nigerians, any day any time.
Yours truly,

Leo Ekpenyong (Esq)
Managing Director

CC:
Professor Itse Sagay, Chairman BOT, SERAP/Chairman Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC)
Chairman ICPC
Chairman EFCC

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/promoted/345432-promoted-serap-mischievous-in-its-attack-against-senator-akpabio-group.html

INSIDE PEDESTAL GIST!!! Kosalabaro and Okebadan By Wole Arisekola

Kosalabaro: I am worried, very worried!

Okebadan: Worried is an understatement with the current situation in Nigeria; where the law enforcement agents are now willing tools in the hands of politicians!

Okebadan: Hmmm, I saw ICPC's politically motivated press release, in which they accused Senator Akpabio of diverting equipment worth less than N3.5m. According to them, “among the recoveries so far made by the CPTG team are dialysis machine, ECG monitor, oxygen regulator, anaesthetic machines, generators and other hospital equipment meant for a cottage hospital in Ukana, Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, from the premises of Mma Obot Foundation, alleged to belong to Senator Godswill Akpabio.”

Kosalabaro: But Akpabio defended his integrity yesterday. He told me that the equipment allegedly retrieved from the Mma Obot Foundation were meant for an on-going project. According to him, the ICPC, as a Federal Government agency, should not allow itself to be used by politicians for selfish motives. He said “the story is false; it is a lie from the pit of hell. It is politically-motivated. And ICPC should stop misleading the public with false stories.
“I have no foundation that deals with medical equipment. I don’t have a kidney problem. So, what will I be doing with a dialysis machine? What will I be doing with generating sets?

On June 8 after the end of my tenure as a member of the Eighth Senate, I empowered 8,000 indigenes of my senatorial district with N100,000 each. The N100 million disbursed was part of my constituency project for 2018.
“I am not a contractor and I was not paid to supply medical equipment. We only initiate constituency projects, we don’t implement them. Why are they dragging Akpabio’s name into it?

Okebadan: When I saw this story on the pages of newspapers I called the ICPC Chairman and his media team.

Kosalabaro: Did they answer you or reply to your text messages?

Okebadan: How can ICPC chairman answer a small boy like me? See his resume... Professor Bolaji Olufunmileyi Owasanoye

PROFILE:
PERSONAL DATA
DATE OF BIRTH: 15th May 1963
EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS:
LL.B Bachelor of Laws (Second Upper) Univ. of Ife, Nigeria 1984;
Qualifying Certificate BL, Nigerian Law School 1985;
LL.M Master of Laws University of Lagos 1987;
Certificate in Legislative Drafting, Royal Institute of Public Administration UK/Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies,1992;
Certificate in Negotiating and Drafting International Trade Agreements, International Law Institute, Washington DC 1993;
Certificate in Managing Development Projects, IMA Associates, UK, 2000
Executive Education Certificate in Applying Behavioral Insights to the Design of Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School of Gove2016. 2016 .
3. SUMMARY OF PROFESSIONAL SKILLS/EXPERTISE: Lecturer, Lagos State University 1986-1990
Research Fellow Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies 1990-2000
Professor of Law, Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies 2001 to date
Director of Research, Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies 2003 – 2006 and 2009 -2013.
Professorial Research Associate, School of Oriental and African Studies University of London 2011-2013;
Visiting Professor, University of Pretoria since 2015,
Member of Council, Criminal Law Committee of the International Bar Association 2011-2013;
Member, International Bar Association Presidential Task Force on Human Trafficking 2015-2016;
Senior Special Fellow, United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) since 2000,
First Teslim Elias Distinguished Professor of Law, Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies 2013.
Selected Consultancies –
United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), UNICEF, DFiD, USAID, World Bank, World Bank Institute, International Labour Organisation, Ford Foundation, ECOWAS, African Union, West African Institute for Finance and Economic Management (WAIFEM); Federal and State Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in Nigeria.
He prepared the draft law establishing the Debt Management Office of Nigeria in 2002; law establishing the Office of the Public Defender in Lagos State.

Okebadan: How can a lecturer answer his students? Don't you know that once a lecturer is always a lecturer? He sees every Nigerian as his student. He doesn't have any business answering all the small boys and girls like us. He is a demigod.

Kosalabaro: In a normal environment, he is accountable to all Nigerians because Nigerians are the one paying his salary. He applied for the job and he should count himself lucky to have someone who pushed his application for him.

Okebadan: But our brothers from the North are different!

Kosalabaro: Excuse me, don't use a case of an Individual to judge a tribe, we have fantastic human beings from all the tribes. Individual behaviour depends on his or her family background. Yorubas are well known to be Omoluabi. We are cultured, highly responsible and we don't get easily carried away with power.

Okebadan: Back to our business. Now that Akpabio confirmed that he has no Foundation, are you telling me that ICPC spokesperson, Ms. Rasheedat Okoduwa did not do a background check with CAC to find out the people behind Mma Obot Foundation?

Kosalabaro: She did not because that is not what she was told to do. Thier mission is to pull Akpabio down by all means. You cannot come out clean in your enemy's court, no matter how clever you are.

Okebadan: It is well. That's why people don't have trust in our leaders. Hardly can you hear any truth from their mouth.

Kosalabaro: My neighbor, Mr. Andrew and his children, just checked out of the country.

Okebadan: Why? Geography has made us neighbors. History has made us friends. Economics has made us partners, and necessity has made us allies. Those whom God has so joined together, let no man put asunder. We must stay and put our house in order.

Kosalabaro: Which house are you talking about? Are you talking of Nigeria as a country or Nigerians as people? We are living in the strangest country in the whole wide world. We are too unique to be compared to other countries. Whatever we set our hearts to, we outdo everybody.
We are running our daily lives on sentiments, tribal and religious bigotry. We are living in George Orwell's 'Animal Farm' where some animals are more equal than others. There is nothing like an equal opportunity in our country.

Okebadan: But politicians refused to acknowledge that advancing equal opportunity and economic empowerment is both morally right and good economics, because discrimination, poverty, and ignorance restrict growth, while investments in education, infrastructure, and scientific and technological research increase it, creating more good jobs and new wealth for Nigerians.

Kosalabaro: You see, when they don’t understand something, they need to ask those who do. And must they always suspect that we all have vested interest in politics? I don't know when we become their enemy? I won’t support their naive supporters who are mainly irresponsible raiders. But we do not merely destroy our enemies; we change them. We must keep on educating them until when they can reason like a normal human being.

Okebadan: Hummmm, Have you heard the latest? Finally, Garba Shehu, presidential media aide, on the evening of Thursday, June 8, 2019, announced that Buhari has given the order for the reduction of the number of jets in his fleet.

Kosalabaro: Congratulations to right-thinking Nigerians. Change must start from him. We must keep on asking him to lead by example. We must make politicians accountable for their tenure in office. And for their blind, mute and deaf supporters, your principal can reason and think better than you all.

What went round in Senator Godswill Akpabio’s robbery of his senatorial mandate!


The emanating revelation from Dr. Olosunde Williams, the PDP witness, who was the collation officer at the Presidential and National Assembly Elections, has just given a new twist to the aggravated case of Senator Akpabio at the on-going petitions tribunal. Dr. Williams was tape-recorded and actually confirmed to his girlfriend that the INEC-REC, Mike Igini, ordered him to cancel Senator Akpabio's votes at the INEC office in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom state capital. In the voice-recorded, he confirmed that Akpabio polled over 60,000 votes in Essien Udim Local Government Area of the state. This revelation has just added more facts to the enabling facts that Godswill Akpabio was indeed cheated out of the election, which was duly and overwhelmingly won by the former two-time governor of the state. This is about the greatest display of corruption and indiscriminate abuse of office by Mike Igini and his cohorts in PDP.

AUDIO
https://youtu.be/8FTG2XuY7BI

INEC Disowns Akwa Ibom Rec In Tribunal

INDEPENDENT National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman Prof Mahmood Yakubu has ended the speculation about the procedure adopted in transmitting results of the last general elections.
In a video recording played on Tuesday before the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT), Yakubu explained that INEC jettisoned its plan to transmit elections results electronically owing to two other challenges, beside the legal constraint.
Yakubu said before the elections, INEC officials met with telecommunication experts drawn from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the telecoms service providers during which two main challenges were identified.
The first, he noted, was the inadequacy of telecommunication infrastructure across the country.
The second, Yakubu said, was that of cyber insecurity which, he added, had marred such experiments (electronic transmission of election results) in some countries.
Yakubu said: “On the issue of transmission of results electronically, I recall that we had some discussions with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). And, through the NCC, we had meetings with the telecoms service providers.
“And we have identified blind spots in Nigeria (areas without telecommunication coverage). Beside the issue of blind spot, we also have discussions with the Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT). We have not concluded our discussion with the Nigerian Communications Satellite in that respect.
“There are two issues. The first one, communication. With respect to the blind spots; how do you communicate?
“Secondly, the percentage of the country that is covered by 2G, let alone 3G or 4G network, and there are no 5, in Nigeria is very small.”
He said in view of the inadequacy in the available telecommunication infrastructure, the commission concluded that it was impossible to adopt the electronic method of election transmission, because the plan was not only to send figures, but, in addition, pictures of forms containing details of the election results.
Yakubu added that the commission concluded that way “because sending figures is different from sending images. So, we have challenge in the area of communication”.
According to the INEC Chairman, the second problem was security, particularly cyber security.
He cited examples of countries, such as Kenya and others, that tried electronic transmission of results but experienced security challenges.
The recording was of an interview session with the INEC chairman, aired by a private television station on February 6, 2019, and in which he ruled out the possibility of INEC transmitting results electronically.
Yesterday’s proceedings were a continuation of Monday’s where a petitioners’ witness, Segun Showunmi, tendered 48 compact discs (CDs) two of which showed where Yakubu and an INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mike Igini, spoke about plans to deploy technology in the transmission of the results of the last elections.
Showunmi, who, on Monday swiftly identified Yakubu, Igini and the official of the television station, who anchored the interviews from the DVDs he bought, stunned all yesterday when he had a difficulty identifying the same people in the DVD brought by President Muhammadu Buhari’s lawyer, Alex Izinyon (SAN).
The DVD tendered by Izinyon was played at the resumption of the tribunal’s proceedings on Tuesday.
The tribunal had, on Monday adjourned till yesterday owing to the refusal by the lawyer to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate in the last presidential election, Atiku Abubakar, Chris Uche, to allow Izonyo play his DVD in the equipment the petitioners brought, and with which they played their videos.
After the video of the interview granted by Yakubu on February 6, 2019 was played with the equipment brought by Izinyon, Showunmi, who resumed his testimony, said he could not identify the INEC Chairman and his interviewer in the video.
After the single DVD was played, Izinyon tendered it along with a certificate of compliance, which were both admitted by the tribunal, despite the petitioners’ lawyer’s objection.
Tribunal Chairman Justice Mohammed Garba advised Uche to include the reason for his objection in his final written address, as agreed by parties at the pre-hearing session.
Atiku and the PDP are, by their petition, challenging the outcome of the last presidential election won by President Buhari of the APC.
The petitioners are claiming, in their petition, to have won the election, going by results they claimed to have got from a purported INEC server into which they argued the results were electronically transmitted.
At the conclusion of Showunmi’s testimony, the petitioners called nine other witnesses, who all made allegations malpractices in the last presidential election.
The witnesses, who served as PDP agents in Nasarawa State, made series of claims that the election was manipulated, even in areas where the PDP won. But they failed, under cross examination, to sustain their claim of manipulation against agents of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Rikita Ali, who said he served as PDP Ward Collation Agent in Lafia Local Government, Nasarawa State, claimed in his written statement that an INEC official was caught with $10,000.
Ali said he witnessed the incident, which happened at Lafia Collation Centre, where he was present.
The witnesses, who said he had no evidence of the police report of the incident, said the INEC official is still alive, but that could not say if the official has been arrested or prosecuted.
Another witness, Mohammed Hayatu, who said he retired as a Customs official, claimed,in his written statement, that Atiku is a Nigerian by birth and was qualified to vote and be voted for.
Under cross examination, Hayatu, who claimed Atiku was older than him by 20 years, confessed that all he said about Atiku were what his (Hayatu’s) late father told him about Atiku and his family.
Hayatu said he also learnt that part of Adamawa Province was part of Northern Cameroon, until the plebiscite of 1961, which brought it back to Nigeria.
The witness said Jadda, where Atiku was born was never part of Cameroon.
Earlier, another petitioners’ witness, Magdiel Samaki, who said he was a Nigerian Ambassador to Romania, said he could not recall history relating to the plebiscite conducted in Northern Cameroon in 1961.
Under cross-examination, Samaki was asked to read part of his written statement, where he said he first met Atiku’s mother in 1965 and recalled Atiku’s early years.
When reminded that he claimed that his was born in 1946 and could not have witnessed Atiku’s early years, the witness said he read about it and was also told.
The witness said: “To the best of my knowledge and what I know, Jadda was in Northern Nigeria, in Adamawa Province, even before 1946.
On whether he is aware that prior to 1919, Cameroon was administered by Germany, the witness said he was not born then. Samaki said he did not know when the First World War ended.
The petitioners are expected to call more witnesses at the resumption of the tribunal’s sitting today.


https://newsdayonline.com.ng/inec-disowns-akwa-ibom-rec-in-tribunal/

AKPABIO's TRADUCERS AT WORK AGAIN!...This time around they misfired!

By Wole Arisekola

Contrary to the report on the reason for the recent purported raid by the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) of a business premises reportedly owned by Senator Godswill Akpabio over alleged diversion of generators and hospital equipment, the report has been refuted in its totality by sources close to the Senator, adding that the report is totally unfounded, fabricated and baseless, as Senator Akpabio does not own any business premises in the said vicinity, or anywhere for that matter.

The fact of the matter, according to the source, is that some operatives of the ICPC led by one Mr. Tiku and the Border Community Development Agency, led by Engr. Susan, have been in communication with the contractor handling the contract for the supply of hospital equipment to Cottage Hospital, Ukana, Essien Udim Local Government Area, a project initiated by Senator Godswill Akpabio.

On July 9, 2019, the said officials of the ICPC and Border Community Development Agency informed an aide of Senator Akpabio that they were tracking constituency projects and would be glad to be shown to projects which Senator Akpabio has executed, a request that was received with great enthusiasm by the aide of Senator Akpabio.

Among the projects visited by the team included a fully built and completed Skills Acquisition Centre in Ikot Ekpene and the Recreation Centre at the Federal Polytechnic, Ukana. They were also shown the medical equipment and generators which were kept in a warehouse which shares the same fence with the hospital. It should, however, interest the public to know that the officials were very impressed with the execution of the projects and praised Senator Akpabio for the faithful execution of the projects, even when the full contract sums were yet to be paid. They promised to make recommendations to appropriate agency for the payment of the outstanding contract sums.

The said ICPC and Border Community Development Agency officials also visited the Cottage Hospital, Ukana where the Medical Superintendent, Dr Mary Paulinus Udoh, acknowledged receipt of the medical equipment. The Medical Superintendent, before the officials, praised Senator Akpabio for his interventions in the hospital, including the donation of a dialysis machine, and all the parties agreed that the generators should be formally handed over to the hospital on July 10,2019 by 10 am.

Senator Godswill Akpabio can hardly be faulted in the execution of constituency projects. He has initiated and completed 88 constituency projects cutting across Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District and even extending the projects to the other two Senatorial Districts in Akwa Ibom State with projects in Udung Uko and Ibiono in Eket and Uyo Senatorial Districts respectively. This is unprecedented. Even though most of the projects have not been fully paid for, most of them have been completed and put to use by the benefiting communities.

The officials of the Border Community Development Agency created the impression that after the verification and tracking of the projects, they would make recommendations to appropriate agencies for the payment of the outstanding balance of the contract sums to the contractors. It therefore smacks of mischief taken too far that while the contractor as agreed by the Hospital Management was making arrangements for forklift to carry the heavy duty generators and formally hand them over to the Hospital Management, some political jobbers went to town about a purported raid and diversion of the same equipment duly acknowledged by the Management of the hospital.

The sources, therefore, urged the general public to discountenance this malicious report as fictitious, baseless and unfounded. Senator Godswill Akpabio remains committed to the welfare of the good people of Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District whom he had given effective representation as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. In the same development, it should be noted emphatically here, that constituency projects are not executed by Senators. They go through general bidding processes. Most times the Senator concerned does not even know the contractor handling any aspect of his constituency project as in the instant case. Payments are equally staggered.

The contractor used the warehouse of Senator Akpabio’s relations business premises to store the equipment pending final payment and donation by the appropriate Agency. A combined team of Border commission, ICPC and others tracking constituency projects of Senator Akpabio were shown 15kvA generating sets, one dialysis machine and accessories at the warehouse, untouched and still in crates and yet to be fully paid for. With over 60 other completed projects though huge outstanding payments, the inspectors visited only four sites and proceeded to politicize supplies not installed, but kept within a stone throw of the benefitting Cottage Hospital.

The posers her are: Why try to damage or link none supply to an excellent performer, Godswill Akpabio? Why not ask ICPC the balance of the supply contract sum? Why only Akpabio out of 109 Senators? Is the timing linked to political struggle for appointments? Let them speak to the contractor and let Senator Akpabio alone. As a Senator, he has done marvelously well, just as he did when he was a Governor!! It was even just heard that the first tranche of the payment, being 70%, was made in 2018.

Moreover, it is the job of the contractor and the Agency that awarded the job to present or donate the procured items to the beneficiaries. The Senator may or may not be invited. This is simply a case of mischief being taken too far.


https://www.airwavesreport.com/politics/3122-akpabio-s-traducers-at-work-again-this-time-around-they-misfired

Loyal Party Members Mob Akpabio at Tribunal

Former majority leader in the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, was recently held 'hostage' at the court premises last Tuesday by his admirers who had earlier trooped the venue of the tribunal in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.
Akpabio is challenging the declaration of Chris Ekpenyong of the People's Democratic Party, (PDP,) as the winner of the February 23, 2019, Akwa Ibom North-West senatorial district election in the state.

The candidate of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) in the election, Sen. Akpabio, is contesting the result of election, which he has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC,) and its Resident Electoral Commissioner, (REC), in the state, Mike Igini, of manipulating the outcome of his last senatorial election results to favour his major opponent, Chris Ekpeyong.
Chris Ekpenyong, PDP, INEC, and Mike Igini are the respondents in the petition.

The mammoth crowd that witnessed his evidence-in-chief, on Tuesday, responded with shouts of victory at every answer to his cross-examiner. At a point, he could not go outside the courtroom, for fear of being mobbed by the crowd made up of mainly youth, men and women. At the end of his testimony, few minutes after 7pm, the crowd went wild with the song of, "all what we are saying, give us Akpabio!" They later burst into various cultural songs; all to the admiration and amazement of those present at the court premises. His security details had hectic time controlling the surging crowd that wanted to have a glimpse of him. They had patiently waited under the rain and sun for almost thirteen hours, to at least have a hand shake with him. This made him to remain in the courtroom more than it was necessary.
Meanwhile, Akpabio, who told the tribunal that he was so sad that INEC in the state could connive with his opponent to carry out such massive manipulations against his candidacy, insisted that he won the majority of the votes cast, as against INEC's declaration.
Led in evidence by his counsel, Sunday Ameh, Akpabio said: "If this is how INEC is going to conduct election in Nigeria, it is a pity." He said in his testimony that INEC showed a great deal of bias against him, by tampering with the final results from many units and wards in the senatorial district to make sure votes to him were either reduced or invalidated, to make them insignificant in the overall results in the district. He alleged the final results announced by INEC were different from the ones announced at the polling centers across the district, immediately after voting that day. Akpabio, who was visibly agitated in the witness box, told the court that he felt so bad that the election, which he had clear majority of votes cast, was mutilated to favour his opponent in the election. He particularly accused INEC of hooding election materials when he requested them to prepare his case. "It was what INEC gave me that I relied on to prepare my case. Out of the 169 units in the senatorial district, it was only in 116 polling units that INEC gave us true certified copy of the result sheet."
The court adjourned till Monday, July 1, for the respondents to open their case.


https://www.airwavesreport.com/politics/3091-loyal-party-members-mob-akpabio-at-tribunal

Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial Election: Akpabio Laments INEC'S Manipulation

Senator Godswill Akpabio Tuesday lamented the monumental manipulations that characterized the Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial district election in the February 23 presidential and National Assembly Election, saying the election that produced Chris Ekpenyong of the People's Democratic Party as the winner of the election was highly skewed against him by the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Akpabio made the allegation when speaking as evidence in chief in a petition he filed at the National Assembly Election Petitions sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital, challenging the declaration of Ekpenyong as the winner of the election.
Akpabio said he contested against the PDP and INEC.
Led in evidence by his counsel, Sunday Ameh, Akpabio said: "If this is (election) how INEC is going to conduct the election in Nigeria, it is a pity."
He said in his testimony that INEC showed a great deal of bias against him by mutilating result from many units and wards in the senatorial district to make sure votes to him were either reduced or invalidated to make them insignificant in overall result in the district.
Akpabio, who was visibly agitated in the witness box, told the court he felt so bad that the election which he got the majority of votes cast was mutilated to favour his opponent.
Akpabio accused INEC of hooding election materials when he requested them to prepare his case.

"It was what INEC gave me that I relied on to prepare my case. Out of 169 units in the senatorial district, only in 116 polling units INEC gave us true certified copy of the result sheet."

When told by the first respondent (Ekpenyong's) counsel, U. U Njoku, that his claims to winning the election were based on invalidated votes, Akpabio said:

"Majority of votes cast for me were lawful while those for my opponent were unlawful."

In response to Solomon Umoh's claims, counsel to the second respondent, the PDP, that he (Akpabio) did not vote during the election, because there was no election in his polling unit, Akpabio said it was a great disservice by INEC to say that the result from his polling unit 9, Ward 11 in Ukana West 2 was not recorded in final result sheet for the local government.
Also, answering the question from INEC's counsel, Robert Emukpoeru, that he (Akpabio) did not apply for the smart card reader and voters' register because they will not support his case, Akpabio said he knew that they were sensitive materials which were exclusive to INEC.
Earlier, the three-man tribunal had overruled the second respondent' counsel, Umoh, who objected to the admissibility of the police report which confirmed that election was peaceful in the petitioner's polling unit as against INEC's claims that the result from the polling unit was cancelled due to violence.
But the tribunal in a ruling dismissed the objection raised by Umoh, that a witness cannot give evidence on an exhibit that he had not been listed in his deposition and affidavit on oath, insisting that it was not listed among the evidence in his deposition.
In a ruling, Chairman of the panel, Justice W. Akanbi, said the exhibits were conveniently covered by many paragraphs of the petitioner's statement on oath and reply to respondents' response to the petitioner's petition.

"We are of the view it is the duty of the petitioner to tender evidence in open court. The court cannot sit in the confines of its home to sort out exhibits to be identified. We hold the view that the exhibits are conveniently covered. They respondents cannot say they were taken by surprise. They were lifted from evidence in court. Objection overruled,"

the court held.
Earlier, a witness, Anitie Elong, who was subpoena by the tribunal said he would be surprised that there was no result in Unit 9, Ward 11 in Essien Udim Local Government Area, where Akpabio voted in the February 23 presidential and National Assembly elections.
Aniete Ekong, told the court that to say Akpabio did not vote during the February 23 election will be "ridiculous."
He spoke under cross-examination after he was lead to present a video clip in the open court by Ameh which showed Akpabio and wife going through accreditation and voting during the election. He said he was surprised that INEC is saying there was no election and that Akpabio didn't go through accreditation and voting in his polling unit.

Akpabio versus enemies of AKS and the many lies
By Sampson Sampson


The malicious reports spreading on the new media that an unknown group which claims to be Elders of the All Progressive Congress in Akwa Ibom State under the bogus aegis of Ibom Integrity and Servant Leadership Culture Initiative has in a letter to Mr. President rejected the listing of Senator Godswill Akpabio for ministerial appointment is another moral failure on the part of the actors and their sponsors.
The reasons adduced are not only untenable and illogical; it underscores the hate infested position in the ill-fated correspondence. The mischievous epistle entitled: “Ministerial Appointment: Why Appointing Akpabio Maybe Counter-Productive” is a hollow attempt to scuttle and destroy rather build for the interest of the vast majority of Akwa Ibom people.
It is an obvious case of pettiness and jealousy that has failed to consider the capacity of the nominee. That Senator Akpabio has the capacity to add meaningful value to the body of achievements of the Federal Government is beyond dispute even to his ardent critics who wish to be sincere. Those who posit that appointing him as a minister would be counter-productive are beclouded and driven by evil tendencies that good spirited people in every society should distance themselves from.
In the evil treatise, these agents provocateur alleged that the defeat of APC in the State in the last general election was according to these men of ill “largely as a result of the destabilizing and authoritarian tendencies of Akpabio…” What a sad and absurd submission!
In the 2015 general election, APC with the entire hullabaloo they raised in the state scored a paltry 89,865 summing to less than 5% against 976,071 votes of the PDP. In the 2019 general election, Akpabio’s advent into the party raised the bar to over 175,000 amounting to 31% against 519,712 despite the conspiracy of the likes of the characters behind this missive and the machination of the State Government in collusion with INEC.
It is a record of proven testimony that Akpabio’s entry into APC raised the acceptability bar of that party. But the party was bogged down by internal conspiracy which is still playing out like the case of this letter. The so-called APC leaders did not work for the party. They were busy sabotaging the modest efforts that the likes of Akpabio contributed by having nocturnal meetings with PDP and collecting money to reveal the winning strategies of the party to the ruling party in the state. As acclaimed leaders of the party, they also positioned themselves and cornered funds that were meant for campaigns/ logistics especially on the day of the election, leaving APC agents, coordinators and party faithful stranded without the wherewithal to prosecute the election.
It is unfortunate that we live in a society where moral degeneration is on the increase on daily basis and accepted as a way of life. If people who claim to be elders of a ruling party could gang up to sabotage one of their own and do so openly, one can imagine what they did pre and during the election, while they were not being watched.
This particular correspondence attests to the fact that the so-called APC leaders do not have the interest of the party at heart. If they had, they would have been thinking of how to build and prepare the party to win the election in 2023. But a leopard cannot change its spots. Once a saboteur, always a saboteur. Rather than think of ways of rejuvenating the party, theirs is to continue to stoke crises and put the party on the peril of fragmentation.
It is obvious to even the non-initiates that one man who has the capacity to maximize an office for the interest of the party is Senator Godswill Akpabio. It is also a fact that despite his travails orchestrated by the State Government in collaboration with INEC, Akpabio still commands followership in the State more than any other politician including the sitting governor.
This charismatic poise and electrifying personality which endear him to a vast majority of people have also elicited in many the bile of hate. This seems to be the crossroad of Akpabio’s looming political career which his enemies are working vigorously at eclipsing. But when you eclipse your only star, what would illuminate your path?
From this ill-fated correspondence, it is easy to deduce that Akpabio’s purported failure does not portend the likelihood of reality. But let me restrain any further remark since the matter is currently a subject of adjudication at the Election Petition Tribunal.
But suffice it to say that our politics is so acrimonious that politicians don’t mind the heads of their brothers even when they would gain nothing when such heads are beheaded. Even when the head stands to provide gains, they would rather bear the painful loss with equanimity.
Akwa Ibom people are agreed to be Christians. Apart from the cardinal ordinance of accepting Christ as Lord and personal Saviour, another major fundamental of Christianity is forgiveness. But hear the acclaimed APC leaders: “Same Senator Akpabio that in years past, had been your and our party’s nemesis cannot suddenly become the gadfly of our political generosity”, the letter was written to Mr. President and copied to other chieftains of APC stated.
How can people who profess Christianity act so manly and still hold membership in Churches? One may be inclined to view this as a failure on the part of the Church. Sadly, the Church leadership also hands in gloves in this moral trial.
The machinations and plots of evil would continue to pervade the human society but the will of God will always prevail and triumph. Senator Akpabio should recognize that he has always been a product of God’s will. If it was God’s will for him to be a minister, no evil plot shall supplant God’s will for him so long as he continues to hold on to Him in FAITH and TRUST.
Sampson Sampson hails from Akwa Ibom

The anti-corruption fight by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government may just be getting a new-improved dimension. This is lent weight to by a big discovery of the huge amount of money at one of the country’s agencies.

Following alleged pilfering of over N150billion by top officers of Niger Delta Development Commission, (NDDC), the anti-graft agency, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) is already investigating the matter, which has fingered substantial contracts awarded by former directors of the commission.

Investigations have shown that four principal directors of the commission, allegedly collided to award themselves contracts worth over N150billion, of which payment of N5billion was being paid every week, in the last three years for contracts awarded by the agency.

Four principal directors have already been invited by the ICPC for questioning and these officers include have indicted the former MD, Nsima Ekere, former ED Finance, and Chief of Staff to the MD, who are touted to be culprits behind the deal, even as the humongous amount was believed to have been siphoned through Monogamy.

As the story goes, Mr Ukeme Nkamare, Director, Design Department, who is still in service, has also been invited for questioning, as to his connection with the looted funds. The matter of monumental dimension is already at the notice of the Presidency, and the President has consequently ordered the ICPC chairman to get to the root of the matter and prosecute the all culpable offenders.

It is instructive to add here that no matter how close these officers are to the corridors of power, the matter should be seen to a logical conclusion, to serve as a punitive lesson to those who might have other tendencies.

As at press time, sources close to the agency investigating the matter hinted that findings have shown that the looted funds have increased into a staggering sum of N193billion, as the agency continues with thorough investigations.

According to sources at the anti-graft agency, ICPC quoted that

‘this is direct stealing and had never happened before in the history of NDDC, to withdraw N5billion every week for three years without being dictated, in a row; it is serious looting, and a daylight robbery’

source stated.

Staffers at the commission are wondering that even the immediate past MD/CEO of the commission, Bassy Dan-Abia came with a softer approach to milking NDDC, but Nsima Ekere came with a subterfuge manner to circumvent all funds accruing to the commission, and this is why all eyes are on theses alleged government looters.

http://catchnews.com.ng/2019/05/16/n150billion-fraud-in-nddc-nsima-ekere-others-indicted-as-icpc-closes-down-on-them/

Senator Akpabio sends Akwa Ibomites into wild jubilation over victory at Tribunal

The National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal, sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on Tuesday, May 7, 2019, slammed the Senatorial candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, (PDP,) Engr. Chris Ekpenyong and the Party, over an attempt to cause the Tribunal to reverse itself.
The Tribunal had on April 2, 2019, granted an ex parte order to Senator Godswill Akpabio, and the All Progressives Congress, (APC,) for inspection of materials in the custody of the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC.)
PDP had sought a counter order of the Tribunal to bar the APC and Senator Godswill Akpabio from inspecting electoral materials used on February 23, 2019, Senatorial elections in Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District. Counsel to the PDP, Mr Solomon Umoh, SAN, had prayed

"the Tribunal to dismiss Akpabio's petition in its entirety,"

as well as

"set aside the petitioner's request for inspection and forensic analysis of election materials."

However, in his ruling, Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice W. O. Akanbi, declared that the PDP's application for the inspection order to be reversed was an act alien to law.
Justice Akanbi agreed with Sunday I. Ameh, SAN, counsel to Senator Akpabio, that Engr. Ekpenyong and the PDP suffered no prejudice, having been invited to be part of the inspection process.
He said the PDP counsel only succeeded in

"hell-raising technicalities to waste the time of the Tribunal."

Justice Akanbi said Senator Akpabio's demand for inspection of electoral materials and the tribunal order granting same were in line with the provisions of Section 151 sub-sections 1 and 2 of the Electoral Act.
The tribunal chairman, while dismissing PDP's argument that the ex parte order for the inspection does not align with the provisions of the Electoral Act, noted that any order from a court of competent jurisdiction in relation to the inspection is valid because the Electoral Act does not specify which order should be accommodated or rejected.
The tribunal also declared that PDP's motion for an order to stop the forensic analysis of the election materials was lacking in merit because any party in court is at liberty to any of its preferred method of inspection.
According to the Tribunal, "any party is at liberty to adopt any method of inspection. The parties involved in an election can choose to bring in forensic experts. The inspection can also be manually done. Even if the inspection is done with laboratory equipment, the law is okay with that," he noted.
The Tribunal Chairman likened the PDP's action to "crying wolf where there is none."
Speaking to newsmen after the ruling, Barrister Patrick Umoh, who stood in for the petitioner's lead counsel, Mr. Sunday Ameh, SAN, said the ruling had deepened the judicial practice. According to Mr. Patrick Umoh,

"the application was filed by the 2nd Respondent seeking to vacate the order of the Honourable Tribunal that granted us access to inspect the electoral materials at INEC. We responded, and at the end of the day, the ruling came in our favour, which is to the effect that the order of the court to inspect the materials was correct in law. There is no way the 2nd Respondent has been prejudiced, as such the tribunal order was good in Law. We salute the judicial system. The ruling is good for the Nigerian legal system. We now know the position of the Law that with an exparte order you can inspect electoral materials as well as maintain your petition in court,"

he said.
The ruling is seen as a major boost for Senator Akpabio to reclaim his mandate in an election which he is believed to have won. The tribunal adjourned further sitting to Friday, May 10, 2019.
Immediately after the ruling, the whole of Akwa Ibom state went into jubilation, thanking God for the victory of their senator.

Sen Akpabio’s legal team inspects election materials used in his senatorial district!
… As PDP rejects forensic inspection of ballot papers and other election materials

After almost a week of exchange of blames, accusations and counter-accusations, the legal team of Senator Godswill Akpabio, (Akwa Ibom Northwest, today, Tuesday, April 23, 2019, finally inspected the election materials used in the last senatorial election in the area. Senator Akpabio’s team of lawyers, led by Patrick Umoh, was at the state headquarters of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Udo Udoma Avenue, Uyo, Akwa Ibom state around 10am for the inspection.

It was gathered that the ongoing inspection process was stopped last Tuesday because of the Easter holidays after Akpabio’s lead counsel, Umoh, accused INEC of preventing his team from accessing and inspecting the materials.

They were led by the INEC officials to the Strong Room where the materials stacked in heaps were sorted out.
However, Barrister Ekom Nwoko, one of the lawyers representing the PDP at the election petition tribunal, said he was at the venue to observe inspection by the petitioners, having been joined as a respondent in the matter.

Nwoko disclosed that the PDP and the first respondent, Dr. Christopher Ekpenyong, have filed a motion for the tribunal to set aside some reliefs granted ex parte at the tribunal, especially the forensic examination of election materials.
Expressing the hope that some reliefs would be set aside, Nwoko added, “Our motion is premised on section 151 of the Electoral Act, and inspection of Electoral materials does not cover forensic examination of materials. That is the premise of our motion, and likely, the motion will come up next week, but we have not got a date yet.”

Speaking in an interview few hours later, the Public Affairs Officer of INEC, Akwa Ibom state, Mr. Don Etukudo, said the legal team of Akpabio was able to sort out the election materials for the ten local government areas of the Akwa Ibom ( Northwest) senatorial district.

In his words,

“You have seen that the inspection process is going on. The legal team of the APC started the process of inspection of the election materials when we took them to the Strong Room and they saw the materials. What the APC legal team has been able to do today is to bring out the election materials for all the ten local government areas. By tomorrow (Wednesday) they will start the actual inspection of the materials. They will start with Abak, Etim Ekpo and Ika local government areas.”

Etukudo, who noted that the team was able to sort out election materials for the ten local government areas before 4:00pm, stressed that he had no doubt that the challenge of sorting the materials out from the stacked heaps would be surmounted.
On when inspection of materials for other cases at the tribunal would commence, Etukudo explained that the tribunal asked the commission to make materials available to only Ikot Ekpene Senatorial district. Senator Godswill Akpabio of the APC had few weeks ago approached the Election Petition Tribunal in the state to challenge the results of the February 23, 2019 elections which saw Dr. Christopher Ekpenyong, of the PDP winner.

Recall PremiumTimes.com published earlier weeks back, that INEC, shortly after the February 23, 2019 national election, had suspended the announcement of results in Akwa Ibom North-West District, where Godswill Akpabio contested for re-election. According to an INEC official in the state then, Senator Akpabio’s major challenger, Chris Ekpenyong of the PDP, was leading in the results announced so far before the commission took a decision to suspend further announcement. “We are having some issues with the election in Essien Udim Local Government Area,” said the official who did not want his name mentioned in this report then, because he was not authorized to speak on the matter. “If we accept the results from the local government area, Akpabio’s votes will overshoot that of Chris Ekpenyong. There are issues in the results which we are yet to be resolved,” the official said. Essien Udim, where Senator Akpabio comes from, is said to be one of the local government areas with a large voter’s population in the state. The senator in a result released on Saturday by INEC in his own polling unit, Ukana West Ward 2, scored 1, 533 votes, while Mr Ekpenyong, a former deputy governor of the state, scored just four votes. Senator Akpabio’s party, the APC, before the commencement of the elections, had accused the Resident Electoral Commissioner, (REC) in Akwa Ibom, Mike Igini, of being partisan in favour of the PDP. The APC had called for Mr Igini’s re-deployment from the state. The PDP responded by saying the APC was agitated because the REC refused to be “compromised” by the party. Mr. Igini has a reputation in Nigeria as being an incorruptible electoral officer. If Akpabio fails to win re-election, it would be a major political upset in the state. This was the situation before the tribunal ordered an inspection of the election materials by Akpabio’s legal team.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/315856-inec-suspends-announcement-of-results-in-akpabios-senatorial-district.html

Senator Akpabio will not be deterred from challenging electoral heist.

The attention of the Senator representing Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District, Senator Godswill Akpabio has been drawn to a malicious piece of fake news titled:

"I will win at Appeal if tribunal judges refuse to perform - Akpabio…says Appeal Court President in his palms."

We want to state categorically that Distinguished Senator Akpabio never at any forum or private discussion uttered any of these words mischievously ascribed to him. The article is political propaganda manufactured from the pit of hell.
The obvious objective of this ill-advised article is to intimidate and blackmail the members of the Akwa Ibom State election tribunal and sway them from the course of justice.
Our suspicion is that having accessed the quantum of unassailable evidence at the disposal of the election petition tribunal of how Senator Akpabio was robbed of his victory in the February 23, National Assembly election, these devious characters have resorted to underhand tactics to overawe the Judges from dispensing justice without fear and intimidation.
We are of the belief that the sickening brazenness and impunity with which the election of Senator Akpabio as Senatorial candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) was rigged cannot be left unchallenged. It is not just about Senator Godswill Akpabio. The right of the people of Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District to freely choose their leader cannot be mortgaged on any account.
This is why Senator Akpabio has chosen the path of due process by challenging the electoral heist of February 23. Such daylight robbery cannot stand. The election petition tribunal will have no inhibition upturning the shambolic election. This is why his opponents are in panic. The Senator has implicit confidence in the judiciary to dispense justice without fear or intimidation.
What the authors of this fake news seek to do is the desecration of the judiciary on the altar of propaganda. Treating an arm of government with such disdain must well-meaning by well meaning Nigerians and lovers of democracy. Once again we are confident that justice will be done as no Judge worth his onion will bow to childish propaganda.

Akpabio at Election Tribunal, Seeks Order to Reclaim Mandate

Following the withdrawal of his case filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, which sought to challenge his Senate re-election loss, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District in the February 23rd Senatorial election, Godswill Akpabio, and his party, have approached the Election Tribunal, sitting in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, to kick-start the legal processes, that would lead to the validation of his victory at the poll.

Akpabio is seeking to upturn the victory of Mr Christopher Ekpenyong and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), based on perceived electoral irregularities which characterised the said election.

The former Senate Minority Leader, had while the election was ongoing, besieged the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), alleging cases of infractions and deliberate violations of the electoral law and guidelines during the senatorial election.

In the said election, INEC had in collaboration with some PDP chieftains in the senatorial district, wrongfully declared Mr. Ekpeyong and his party, the PDP, winner of the poll, having scored 118,215 as against Akpabio’s 83,158.

However, incontrovertible result sheets from Akwa Ibom INEC office showed different figures that had Akpabio securing 138,256 votes as against Ekpeyong’s 123,843.

Dissatisfied with the conduct and outcome of the election, the former governor of Akwa Ibom and his party vowed to approach the election petition tribunal to ventilate their grievances as well as reclaim their stolen mandate.

POLITICAL JOBBERS ON THE PROWL

Being the text of the press conference by Leaders and Stakeholders of All Progressives Congress (APC) Essien Udim Local Government Area on the aftermath of the general elections and attempts by hired political merchants to demonize Senator Godswill Akpabio.

Gentlemen of the Press,

We are constrained by recent developments in the polity especially the rash of press briefings by hired political mercenaries and carrion feeders, all in attempts to diminish the person of His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio, CON, one of whom was a National Youth Corps Member in his office, but today takes delight in disparaging him through wild, fictitious and unsubstantiated allegations.

They can gloat over the pyrrhic victory of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 9th March 2019 election - an election that will go down in history as the biggest, most elaborate fraud executed by the Akwa Ibom State Government headed by Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel in collusion with a compromised Akwa Ibom State Office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), superintended over by Mr. Mike Igini, the Resident Electoral Commissioner. However, Akwa Ibom people, foreign and domestic observers will be interested to witness how they will defend this electoral heist and day light robbery.

We have been of the conviction that since Governor Udom Emmanuel was running for a second term, his first term achievements should have formed the fulcrum of his campaign for re-election. His first term accomplishments should have been the basis for seeking re-election, which is the standard the world over. Unfortunately, his campaign was based on divisiveness, character assassination, industrialization propaganda, ethnic bigotry, monetary inducement, and 2015 campaign/first year endorsement by Senator Godswill Akpabio pronouncing eight years for a government he thought was going to perform.

We recall with pride and a huge sense of fulfillment, the verifiable accomplishments of His Excellency, Senator Godswill Akpabio in his first term as Governor, which included the construction of a brand new Governor’s Lodge; reconstruction of over 300 urban roads (49 in Eket, 23 in Ikot Abasi, 33 in Ikot Ekpene, 34 in Oron, and over 70 in Uyo and 15 in Abak etc. The dualization of Idoro -Itu Federal Highway with bridge; construction of three flyovers; dualization of Ikot Ekpene-Abakroad; completion of Nwaniba road to Uruan; completion of the Le Meridien Ibom Hotel with standard golf course; completion of dualization of Oron Road to Ibom Airport; construction of Akwa Ibom International airport which he met at 10 percent work level; obtaining permission to close the Oron road and thereby constructing 3.6km runway complete with modern lighting system/navigational aids; initiation/construction of brand new e-library; construction of banquet hall with two floors underground and modernization of the entire Government House complex with guest chalets; modernization of Akpan Andem Market with 900 market stalls and 300 open stalls complete with toilet facilities, fire system, warehouses; massive renovation and construction of classroom blocks across the state; introduction of free and compulsory education to all Nigerian children resident in Akwa Ibom with payment of subvention to school heads; completion of the ongoing Ibom Power Plant at Ikot Abasi thereby adding over 140 megawatts of electricity to the national grid; partnering with Seven Energy to build the first gas processing plant at Esit Eket thereby giving a life line of gas supply to Aluminium Smelter Company in Ikot Abasi and the Independent Power Project; construction of the 44km Enen Nsit road with four bridges; raising electricity coverage from 37 percent to over 70 percent in his first term; construction of cottage hospitals across the state from Ibeno, Eastern Obolo, Ika, to Essien Udim; massive empowerment of Akwa Ibom people across the state; dualization of Aka Nung- Udoe-Ibesikpo road, construction and dualization of a brand new boulevard adjoining the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium which he initiated and completed among other laudable projects.

However, having failed woefully in the past four years to execute any meaningful project, Governor Udom Emmanuel resorted to investing heavily in propaganda to pull wool over the eyes of unsuspecting Akwa Ibom people and Nigerians. Most projects the administration claim to have executed, like the fertilizer blending plant, the rice mill, and the ranch with 2000 Mexican cows, International Worship Centre etc can be found on billboards strewn all over the State. Suddenly an administration which had hitherto claimed there was no money in the state to execute any meaningful project invaded the state vault, threw it open just to purchase victory at the polls on March 9, 2019.

Never in the history of elections in Akwa Ibom State, nay Nigeria have we witnessed such a heist and electoral robbery aided by a compromised umpire, Mr Mike Igini, the Resident Electoral Commissioner like the last general elections. As we speak, just yesterday, one of the INEC trucks conveying ballot papers earlier voted in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC) were being transported to a location near INEC office in Uyo for destruction and subsequent replacement with ballot papers fraudulently thumb printed all in attempt to cover their tracks and prepare for inspection by the tribunal panelists. In the process one of the vehicles got involved in an accident in Abak spilling and exposing the thousands of the ballots voted by Akwa Ibom people in favour of the APC. The truck driver on interrogation confessed that that was the sixth trip that day shuttling to different PDP stalwart houses in different locations in the state to convey APC voted ballot papers for destruction.

The occupants of the ill-fated truck have confessed to the brazen robbery perpetrated by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) under the supervision of Mr. Mike Igini. The accidented truck with some of the contents is still parked at the Police Station in Abak. We have it on good authority that spirited attempts are being made by the PDP administration in Akwa Ibom State in collusion with INEC to destroy the evidence of the electoral fraud. We hereby call on the Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State and other security agencies to take safe custody of the truck and its contents and investigate the matter with a view to bringing the culprits to book.

It has also been revealed that Mr. Mike Igini’s INEC in the last few days after the election has been working tirelessly to destroy the original ballot papers and the photocopied unit registers and result sheets which he used for the two elections and replace them with original result sheets to cover up the massive electoral fraud of 23rd February and 9th March 2019. Those who have stolen the peoples mandate have been unable to sleep with their two eyes closed after the elections. We have implicit confidence in the judiciary to do justice to our people and restore their right to freely choose their leaders without manipulation as carried out by a compromised INEC under Mr. Mike Igini.
The so-called press conference by Essien Udim political contractors is even more laughable. They may deceive their pay master in Uyo to extort more money from him, but they cannot bury the truth. The truth as corroborated by independent election observers is that on election day cases of ballot box snatching, hijack of electoral materials and abduction of electoral officials by chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party were reported and distress calls made by helpless APC agents. These were reported to security agencies for necessary action. Some of the culprits include, one Anthony Luke (alias Aluko), an aide of Governor Udom Emmanuel, Barrister Imowo Okpokpo, a PDP stalwart, Prince Ukpong Akpabio (Commissioner for Investment and Commerce, Akwa Ibom State), Chief Michael Afangideh, Mr. SunyiekekereInokon (Deputy State Chairman, PDP, Akwa Ibom State), Solomon Inokon, Engr. Oliver Ebong, Elder Raphael Isobara (Chairman, Essien Udim) and Barr. Esse Umoh, (PDP House of Assembly candidate.)

Together with a gang of thugs, they snatched Okon Ward materials at gun point and kidnapped the INEC staff with materials. Surprisingly, they turned up at the collation centre at INEC office in Essien Udim with results from Okon Ward all in favour of their party, the PDP. It was when the collation officer insisted on collating the forged result that the APC agent raised an alarm and phoned Senator Akpabio and other APC leaders. Senator Akpabio immediately went to the Electoral Officer to lodge a written complaint against the collation of Okon Ward. The abducted INEC staff and Corps members confessed to the rigging before the Electoral Officer in charge of Essien Udim Local Government Area.

At the Electoral Officer’s office, Senator Akpabio spoke to the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Mike Igini through the telephone of the Electoral Officer to lodge the same complaint and thereafter left the premises. When the results were collated and announced, Senator Akpabio was no where near the INEC office. So how come these so-called Elders could fabricate lies from the pit of hell in an attempt to malign the good name of Senator Godswill Akpabio, their own illustrious son? It is instructive that Senator Akpabio never had any soldier attached to him. Throughout the election, he visited only his polling unit and INEC office to lodge a complaint.

It is on record that the Divisional Police Officer of Essien Udim Local Government Area arrested some PDP stalwarts at the collation centre for intimidating and harassing Corps members and electoral officials and attempting to change Unit results in favour of the PDP that lost woefully in the entire Local Government. We noted that even in our local Government Area as it happened throughout the state, that majority of the collation officers were members of the PDP who engaged in massive cancellation of APC votes under the guise of Card Reader differentials, the only LGA in Akwa Ibom State that the Card Reader was applied hence in the National Assembly election, Senator Akpabio’s votes were reduced from 75,000 to 61,500 and in the governorship election, the votes of our gubernatorial candidate, Obong Nsima Ekere were reduced from 73,000 to 46,000. Even in the House of Assembly election, our Member-elect, Hon Nse Ntuen had his votes slashed from over 70,000 to 47,000. Nigerians should take particular interest in the Akwa Ibom State election tribunal as these collated votes of Senator Akpabio of 61,500 in the final analysis re-collated in INEC office in Uyo further reduced to 5,000 and that of the governorship candidate was further reduced in the re-collated office by Mr. Mike Igini to 6,000.

Please note that Essien Udim Local Government is the local Government with the second highest voting strength in Akwa Ibom Stateafter Uyo. According to INEC over 105,000 permanent voters’ cards were collected from Essien Udim LGA and yet Eastern Obolo with less than 15,000 voting strength, collected 10,000 pvcs and they voted for Udom Emmanuel and Mr Mike Igini collated and announced such result!

Senator Akpabio represents 10 LGAs. Units, Wards and LG results of nine LGAs were collated and announced at the Senatorial headquarters. A phone call to the Senatorial Collation Center sent the collation officer scampering for over five hours. Shockingly, at Mr. Mike Igini’s office in Uyo we heard that he had re-collated the re-collated votes and reduced the votes of Senator Akpabio from various Local Government Areas already announced, including reducing the result from Essien Udim to 5,000 which led to his purported announcement of somebody else as the winner of the election.

All Progressives Congress Elders and stakeholders strongly condemn the antics of Senator Bassey Albert a former Commissioner for Finance in Senator Godswill Akpabio’s administration for submitting a false petition against the person of Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio on the floor of the Senate. If anybody should be questioned on electoral infraction, it is Senator Bassey Albert that ordered his band of thugs to kill three APC members in his home Local Government Area, Ibiono, a matter still under investigation by the Police. We hereby caution him to use his head while struggling for cheap political relevance. Senator Akpabio remains a pride to Essien Udim LGA and a priced property of Akwa Ibom State. He should immediately withdraw his sponsored petition against Senator Akpabio and apologize to his former boss/benefactor.

Instead of being worried about the survival of democracy in Nigeria with the likes of Mike Igini, some Akwa Ibom Elders of PDP extraction shamelessly addressed a press conference making false accusations against a leader, a nationalist and a man of peace. This is unfortunate! Regrettably, monetary inducement has blurred the sight of most Akwa Ibom Elders including some from Essien Udim Local Government Area, Essien Udim in the PDP led by Chief Michael Afangideh, Chief E. P. Umanah, Sir Emem Akpabio among others. We must commend Senator Akpabio for his peaceful disposition and insistence on following the due process of the law. APC members should remain calm and law abiding while pursuing their legitimate claims at the courts.

Finally, we advise these carrion feeders never to gloat over this stolen mandate. Their so-called gubernatorial victory can only be pyrrhic. Very soon those attempting to denigrate their benefactor shall soon see that Akwa Ibom people and Nigerians have no regards for ingrates.
We thank the teeming supporters of President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC family in Akwa Ibom State for remaining law abiding. We assure them that all stolen mandates ofthe APC will be retrieved.
Long Live the APC!

Nill

Sale of Customer’s N2.5b Goods: Access Bank states its case...says: ‘The sale was in line with the agreement’

Contrary to the story milling around about the contrived sale of a customer’s goods worth N2.5billion by foremost financial services provider, Access Bank Plc, the bank has come out in defense of the purported sale by vehemently denying any wrongdoing whatsoever in the alleged sale of the said customer’s goods.

The denial was bluntly made when the Police Special Fraud Unit in Lagos charged Access Bank Plc, its managing director and chief executive officer, Herbert Wigwe, and others with 21 counts of conspiracy, fraudulent disposal of trust property, fraudulent conversion, stealing and false representation before an Ogun State High Court.

In the suit, Access Bank Plc, Mr. Wigwe, Alawode Oluseye and Bayo Adesina were accused of conspiring and stealing 23,754.413 metric tonnes of steel billets valued at ₦2.5 billion belonging to BMCE Bank International Plc. But in a notice to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), on Monday, Access Bank denied the allegations stressing that at no time did the bank or any of its executives or officers commit any of the alleged offences.

The statement reads: “In 2015, Access Bank availed credit facilities to Metal Africa Steel Products Limited, to finance the importation of billets and machinery for the expansion of its factory. Consequent upon the grant of the facilities, the bank opened Form M and Letters of Credit, LC, to facilitate the importation of the billets for which the shipping documents were consigned to the bank. The facilities were secured by a Debenture Trust Deed over the customer’s assets shared with other lenders. Upon arrival of the billets, the bank released the shipping documents to the customer to enable it clear the goods. The bank subsequently discovered that the customer had cleared the goods from the port without payment of appropriate customs duty. The bank, in line with its duty to protect its depositors’ funds, reported the alleged crime to SFU which obtained a court order to take over the customer’s business operations. Furthermore, the bank petitioned Interpol, which is presently taking steps to repatriate the suspects involved in the alleged fraud from India. Subsequently, the beneficiary banks (including the bank) under the Debenture Trust Deed, appointed a Receiver/Manager who took over the operations of the customer’s business and paid the appropriate customs duty on the billets. The Receiver/Manager subsequently obtained court order from the Federal High Court and sold the billets and distributed the proceeds amongst the beneficiary banks (including the bank. The lender further said in the statement that it was “aware that the petitioner also laid claims to the same billets following which there were attempts at settlement between the petitioner and the Receiver/Manager. The petitioner subsequently filed a complaint at SFU following the failure of settlement. Based on the foregoing, we were surprised to be served with the charges by the SFU alleging, amongst others, that the bank stole the billets and forged the shipping documents covering the billets. We hereby state that at no time did the bank or any of its executives or officers commit any of the alleged offences. The bank has continued to maintain the position that it financed the importation of the billets and that the Receiver/Manager appointed by the bank and a syndicate of other lenders had the right to sell the goods. We are aware that there are civil matters in court on the same subject. We are also aware that there are on-going settlement negotiations between the Receiver/Manager and the petitioner. Without prejudice to the settlement discussions and the civil matter, we reiterate that the Receiver/Manager appointed by the bank and a syndicate of other lenders acted within its powers to sell the billets. We wish to assure our stakeholders that the bank will continue to take all necessary steps to protect its depositor’s funds, in line with its fiduciary duties as well as extant rules and regulations.”

The implication or inference from Access Bank’s submission is that the bank did not in any way contravene or breach any agreement involved in the deal, and as such not liable to any offence as the court or public is being made to believe, except the complainant has other issues to raise in an expected originating summon. Until then, the bank remains adamant and stands by its position on the matter.



https://www.airwavesreport.com/business/2812-sale-of-customer-s-n2-5b-goods-access-bank-states-its-case-says-the-sale-was-in-line-with-the-agreement

ATIKU presidential ambition gets boast, as inter-bizman, Kola Karim supports with $30Million
Ahead of the 2019 general elections, the presidential ambition of former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has received a boost, with the support of international businessman who is eagerly ready to donate billions of naira to Alhaji Atiku Presidential Campaign and also ready to give its full support for it. Information reaching us scooped that the renowned international businessman, Kola Karim donated a whopping $30.5 million to boost the Atiku presidential campaign.

According to information --

https://www.airwavesreport.com/politics/2497-atiku-presidential-ambition-gets-boast-as-inter-bizman-kola-karim-supports-with-30million

GTBank: Innovative, transforming the banking sector one step at a time…How the bank blazes the trail on all fronts

It will come to many as a surprise how the bank has been making wonderful exploits over the years. This is because the bank has been ably managed by men of impeccable corporate pedigree. What is now being said in many quarters is the input of the present MD/CEO, who has taken up the gauntlet from his predecessors. GTBank has many things to be proud of and will always be the leader in the pack. The industry is replete with many gurus, and one of them is the quintessential Segun Agbaje, who has been managing Guarantee Trust Bank with his managerial capability. In this report, Airwaves Report team looks into the good world of banking, focusing on what GTBank has achieved in 2017.

https://www.airwavesreport.com/business/1628-gtbank-innovative-transforming-the-banking-sector-one-step-at-a-time-how-the-bank-blazes-the-trail-on-all-fronts#ja-gallery-detail-1628

richidinho:


pls look for the manager and ask him what really happened,we must get to the bottom of this, you hear?

Jobless dude

Hello guys, don't mind Ecobank jare ooo, despite their poor services and low CSR impact in the State; they didn't want to contribute to the growth of the state...and again the Bank didn't value the customers interest at all, Why did GTBANK is operating in the state, because they value customers impact in the growth of their businesses; to tolerate the condition giving by the state helmsman; Fayose. Why Ecobank refuse to abide to what the man requested from them...

Thank God for technology and a good quality assurance at the bank. This would have gone unnoticed if not that the bank has good internal control systems. I pray they continue to improve on this important facility.